APUNE member programs offer a variety of housing options -- from service providing host families and residences to independent apartments. If you would like information on how your specific program arranges accommodation, contact them directly. Many programs will provide housing placements prior to arrival. Students living in apartments must usually find these once the come to Spain. Each option offers different advantages and disadvantages and if given the option, the student should choose that which is best for him/her. Keep in mind your priorities (such as meals, using Spanish, meeting young people, location, non-smoking, and cost).

Host families: These vary from full families to single adults who lodge students. Meals are usually included, though sometimes kitchen rights can be requested (especially suited for people with dietary restrictions). It is the best way to learn about Spanish food, and social aspects such as the family, religion and recent history. Families normally do not impose curfews and offer students much flexibility with their schedules. They also tend to spend much time talking to students and are helpful tending to them in case of illness or other need.

Residences and colegios mayores: Residence halls vary in size and in services, but over all, abound with young people from Spain and other countries. Colegio mayors are more similar to sororities and fraternities and are directly linked to universities. Some colegio mayores and residences have curfews or strict visitation rules. There are both co-ed and single-sexed places. The positive aspect is that it is easy to meet young people. However the negative aspect is that they are usually noisy and the food is mediocre (definitely not representative of Spanish cuisine). Furthermore, they usually require a deposit that is lost if a student chooses to move out.

Apartments: For young college students, initially it seems to be the most attractive and the cheapest option. Ideally, finding a shared apartment with Spaniards would give you a great opportunity to integrate to Spanish culture. However, it is usually difficult to find these placements and often foreign students end up sharing apartments with other foreigners, thus loosing out on the learning process. Furthermore, health and safety issues, as well as controlled expenses cannot be guaranteed. These are some of the main reasons many study abroad programs do not permit students to access this type of housing. The other reason is the following: Apartment hunting can often be a long and tedious process; Student apartments are in high demand and the best time to look is as early as June for the next academic year. You may have trouble if you leave it until September. If your program does permit students living in an apartment, make sure to ask your advisor about "student-friendly" neighborhoods as well as what questions to ask concerning contracts, utilities and hidden costs. Looking online is probably the best way to go about finding an apartment. However, at many university campuses and bus-stops you will also be able to find flyers advertising available rooms.